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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22860535">An Amethyst’s Ascent</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/needforsuv/pseuds/needforsuv'>needforsuv</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Steven Universe (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Amethyst Eats Everything, Cameos/Crossovers (‘slight’), Cannibalism (in a sense), Crack, Eating, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Food Reviews, Gen, Homeworld (Steven Universe), Humor, Humorous Ending, Just crack and lots of it, Mind/Mood Altering Substances, Multi, No Angst, Other, Overlord Amethyst, Recreational Drug Use, Surprise Ending (kinda), Vore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-29 08:55:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,936</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22860535</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/needforsuv/pseuds/needforsuv</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Amethyst had just gotten a taste of something new, <em>different</em>, and <strong>impossible to resist</strong>, and <span class="u">nothing</span> would stop her until she reached the very top…</p>
<p>Fuelled by her unbridled cravings and with no opposition, Amethyst Facet-5 Cut-8XM is going where no other being had ever even dared to go (or think) before, and then some…</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amethyst (Steven Universe) &amp; Everyone, Amethyst/Peridot (Steven Universe), Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe, Kevin &amp; Lapis Lazuli (Steven Universe), Kevin &amp; Stevonnie (Steven Universe), Lapis Lazuli &amp; Spinel &amp; Stevonnie (Steven Universe), Lapis Lazuli &amp; Spinel (Steven Universe), Lapis Lazuli &amp; Stevonnie (Steven Universe), Spinel &amp; Kevin (Steven Universe), Spinel &amp; Stevonnie (Steven Universe)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>An Amethyst’s Ascent</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I knew I had to write this when the idea popped into my head in the bathroom on the 2<sup>nd</sup> Tuesday of 2020…</p>
<p>As they say, 99% of all ideas begin…</p>
<p>(Shipping and <em>Slight</em> spoilers for Infinity Train Book 2, you’ll find out why…)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amethyst (Earth Facet-5 Cut-8XM), had always enjoyed eating; from her very first bite thousands of years ago to the present day, there was never a moment where she shied away from trying something new – even if it proved ‘poisonous’ more often than not…</p>
<p>Heck, she’d even tried human meat (but just those burned and grilled beyond saving – from accidents, obviously – from <em>Rose</em> and had no family who’d grief…)! It wasn’t anything really special, but she did still understand why it was taboo in many/most parts of the world – it just went against every instinct of a species’ survival in all but the direst of situations.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Once, thousands of years ago, she had overheard Pearl, Garnet, and Rose talking – joking – about the story/myth/legend of the gem-eating gem…</p>
<p><em>“…of course, nobody ever had any </em>proof<em> that she actually existed…”</em></p>
<p><em>“…well, some had said that </em>you<em> were, before…”</em></p>
<p><em>“</em>Homeworld<em>, am I right? Always making excuses to ‘cover-up’ shatterings…”</em></p>
<p><em>“Yeah, that’s probably it; just a ‘kinder’ </em>explanation<em> for ‘missing’ gems instead of the </em>reality <em>of the Diamonds being so </em>ruthless <em>and </em>uncaring <em>that they would…”</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Until today, Amethyst hadn’t given it a second thought…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(But then, it happened…)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was just another beautiful day in Beach City; the sun was shining, breeze blowing… and Amethyst was casually walking through Little Homeworld.</p>
<p>“Aaahhh…” Amethyst beamed as she stretched, taking in the sight that never ceased to astound her with its majesty and uplifting energy, “And to think, it’s only been like 2 years! I can’t even imagine what things would look and be like in another thousand years! Probably even AWES-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*Gulp*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In her awe, she had ‘forgotten’ that she’d left her mouth right open, jaw dropped right to the ground, ripe for…</p>
<p>‘Aw crud, was that the Heaven and Earth Beetles?’</p>
<p>
  <sub>“AAAAAHHHHHHH! It’s so dark in here!”</sub>
</p>
<p>
  <sub>“IT BURNS!!!”</sub>
</p>
<p>
  <sub>*smooch*</sub>
</p>
<p>
  <sub>“I love yo-”</sub>
</p>
<p>“Shit.” Amethyst couldn’t believe what she’d just done… and yet, after absorbing their forms… she suddenly felt a lot less <em>bad</em> somehow…</p>
<p>‘Mmmm… light and sparkly, like a can of soda!’</p>
<p>“Wha-“</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>She liked the taste</em>, the taste of a gem… that she ATE…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>New, <em>different</em>, and <strong>impossible to resist</strong>… It was unlike any food, ‘drug’, or hallucinogenic substance that she had ever tried before, wild and awakening something…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was only one person – gem – she could possibly go to for this (even if…)…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You WHAT?!” Peridot shout-screamed as soon as Amethyst told her what happened (thankfully, her house was soundproofed), “…This is bad, THIS IS BAD!”</p>
<p>“That’s why I came to <em>you</em>! You’re the only one who can help me Peri…” Amethyst said with tear-glossed eyes, drool…</p>
<p>“Anyway, I’m glad you came to me. You see, as a Kindergartener, I…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What? Just tell me everything! I NEED to understand! I’m going to pay attent-”</p>
<p>“Amethyst, your mouth…” Beads of sweat formed on the technician’s brows as she stared unblinkingly at her <em>friend</em>.</p>
<p>‘Oh no…’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You want to eat me, don’t you?”</p>
<p>Amethyst nodded without shame as Peridot hugged her.</p>
<p>“I love you Amethyst, please don’t ever forget me.”</p>
<p>“I won’t, and I love you too nerd.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Taking a few deep breaths, Peridot prepared herself for what laid ahead.</p>
<p>“Aarf! Aaarf?” Pumpkin barked as she jumped into her arms, the atmosphere immediately causing her to frown and whimper.</p>
<p>“It’s okay Pumpkin, shh…” Peridot cooed, rubbing the orange skin of the living pumpkin comfortingly, “We’re gonna be food now, and it’ll be great…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A moment later and with a serene smile on her face, Peridot motioned for Amethyst to approach.</p>
<p>“I’m ready Ames.”</p>
<p>“I’ll miss you, Dotti.”</p>
<p>The green gem giggled one last time as the purple gem locked lips with her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Effortlessly, Amethyst opened her mouth wide around her meal – still holding the kiss –… before swallowing both in one mighty gulp.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aah,” She burped contently, “No wonder she likes to lick rocks so much… <em>Damn</em>!”</p>
<p>There was just <em>so much</em> at work, and it was ‘only’ Peridot!</p>
<p>“Pumpkin is <em>pumpkin</em>, duh,” Amethyst said to no one in particular as she parsed her thoughts into a ‘review’, “But P-Dot? She’s like lime jelly with custard icing on top! Hints of sour with a boatload of sweetless, yum<em>my</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If a ‘lowly Peridot’ tasted <em>so good</em>, then…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It wasn’t long before rumours and gossip of missing gems surfaced once people started noticing the unusual absences.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Compared to everything going on (or may be) in the ‘grand scheme of things’, this was particularly concerning – especially to Steven, Connie, and Lapis who jumped at the chance of some <em>action</em>.</p>
<p>(Of course, they didn’t find anything and had to return to the Beach House empty-handed.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I thought everyone – or at least all the gems and colonies – were good now, so what gives?” Steven and Connie sighed as they slumped down on the couch beside Lapis.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Lapis nodded, scratching her chin in thought, “This is just strange… like, poof, gone missing without a trace…”</p>
<p>“Hey Amethyst, have you seen Peridot, the Pebbles, or the Heaven and Earth Beetles? Cause we haven’t seen them around and nobody has heard from them at all today.”</p>
<p>“Not that that is a long time, but…” Connie looked at her with a neutral expression, likely in her detective mode, “All of them were meant to meet up with <em>someone</em>, and none showed! Not a single note or anything!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’ve seen them,” Amethyst coolly replied, “I ate them – the Heaven and Earth Beetles, Peridot and Pumpkin, <em>and</em> the Pebbles… I mean, the little grey guys were pretty much like bread, but all <em>different</em> kinds of bread, which is <em>really</em> awesome… if you catch my drift…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Jambuds blinked while Lapis’s eyes flew wide open.</p>
<p>“Eat, like you do with everything else that’s not ‘food’?”</p>
<p>“Yep,” She confirmed with a nod as she turned to focus on Steven, “It started as an accident, but it WAS JUST <em>SO GOOD</em>, Steven! Like, THE BEST things I’ve ever put into my mouth! I went to Peridot looking for answers… but when I ate her, I just… it just…”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t your ‘first blood’, but she just made you crave <em>more</em>… just sped up the ‘process’…” Lapis ‘deduced’, surprisingly calm despite the implications.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And like a ‘new-born vampire’, she already had her eyes on her next target. A target which otherwise rivalled few in power and status, and none in rarity…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s nothing <em>personal</em>, Steven, but I’m gonna eat you…”</p>
<p>“All because I have – am – a Diamond… figures…”</p>
<p>“Sorry…” Amethyst apologised as she slowly walked over to him.</p>
<p>“It’s o-”</p>
<p>“Oh, no-no, no-no-NO! Na-uh!” Connie shook her head, tightening her hold on Steven and stopping Amethyst before history could ‘repeat’, “There’s no way I’m letting you <em>eat</em> <strong>my biscuit</strong><em>, Amethyst</em>, not happening!”</p>
<p>“Why?” Amethyst asked as Lapis raised an eyebrow, already knowing where this was going.</p>
<p>“Because we <em>promised</em> to be there for each other, together no matter what we faced, side by side and hand in hand,” The Jambuds spoke in unison, their faces illuminated by increasing blushes, “Strawberry and Biscuit – Jambuds –, <em>forever</em>, <strong>period</strong>.”</p>
<p>“I love you Steven!” Connie exclaimed as she kissed the boy, on the lips…</p>
<p>“I love you too Connie!” Steven mumbled as he eagerly returned the kiss, causing them both to grin as a pink glow erupted between them…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As Stevonnie opened their eyes to their arms firmly wrapped around themself, their smile grew even wider, “I love you Stevonnie! I love me too!”</p>
<p>“If you’re gonna eat, eat me,” They said, looking into Amethyst’s eyes without a trace of fear on their face.</p>
<p>“Your wish is my command, <em>my diamond</em>,” Amethyst playfully nudged them.</p>
<p>“<em>Amethyst</em>…”</p>
<p>“Stevonnie…” She gave them a brief hug – which they gladly leaned into – before stepping back and opening wide…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Stevonnie!” Lapis rushed up and tugged at the fusion’s skirt, her own fluttering from the rapid movement – both having been ‘dressed up’/relaxing for an occasion/to enjoy themselves when ‘news broke’.</p>
<p>“Lapis?” Stevonnie giggled as they turned to face their Beach Summer Fun Buddy, “What…“</p>
<p>“Stevonnie, I-I…” She stammered as she held their hand.</p>
<p>“Lapis, it’s okay, really…” They reassured her as they hugged and soothingly rubbed her back, “I’m okay with this…”</p>
<p>“I know, but it-it’s not that… I… Stevonnie, I…”</p>
<p>Words failing her, Lapis let action speak for her as she pulled Stevonnie into a deep, passionate kiss.</p>
<p>“Oh, Lapis…” They returned the kiss in kind as Amethyst suppressed a cackle at how much they were blushing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Arms linked, they parted lips,</p>
<p>“Eat us together, Amethyst.”</p>
<p>“Of course, I’d never think of <em>breaking</em> you lovebirds up…”</p>
<p>“Shut up,” Stevonnie and Lapis replied before returning to embracing and kissing each other, neither having anything to lose and everything to gain…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Dorks…’ Amethyst thought to herself as she felt their forms slide into her and become absorbed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To be honest, she had expected a confession out of this, but two? That was just gold! Stevonnie mightn’t have become a permafusion yet, but in those final moments with Lapis… Yeah, they definitely all felt and knew it… <sub>(Oh well…)</sub></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Pink Diamond – Stevonnie –, perfectly delicious just like a triple napoleon ice-cream sandwich with extra sprinkles; all the ice-cream, wafer, and chocolate… Perfectly matched with the sweet and strong blueberry pie that is <em>Lapis Lazuli</em> for a dessert so sweet I’d get cavities! If I had <em>actual</em> teeth, that is!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her friends tasted <em>more than good</em>, because they were beyond awesome, incredible beings… beings who she’d now consumed…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Speaking of which…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Stevonnie?! Lapis?!” Kevin shouted as he portaled into the house, probably a little late…</p>
<p>“Hey dude,” Amethyst casually waved, “You just…”</p>
<p>“I’m coming for you, Stevonnie and Lapis! Don’t go to heaven without me, Baby Sweet-cheeks and Angel Mama, you’re both just so beautiful, gorgeous, and amazing…” Pink tears flowed like rivers from his eyes down his pink skin as he dove into Amethyst’s mouth, “I love you…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘<em>Three for three</em>, nice!’ Amethyst thought to herself as she felt the boy join the lovebirds.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Kevin, what to say about Kevin? So full of love and flavour… like a fizzy Hawaiian Pizza topped with extra strawberries – juicy, bursting with goodness, and such strong tones of savoury-sweetness… He’d been just <em>jerky</em>, but I think he’s really come into his own and transformed into something completely different!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*Squeak, Squeak-Squeak-Squeak*</p>
<p>Spinel ran into the living room ‘long after’ Amethyst had heard her frantic footsteps, a worried expression plastered on her face.</p>
<p>“Amethyst!? Have you seen my friends? I’ve just heard them and… Where could Stevonnie, Lapis, and Kevin be?! I was so ready to have fun and…”</p>
<p>“Aw crud,” Amethyst sighed as she patted the pink gem’s shoulders, “If I had known…”</p>
<p>“Known what?” Spinel asked with a half-puzzled expression.</p>
<p>“… it doesn’t matter… point is, I would’ve waited before eating them.”</p>
<p>“Eat? As in…” Spinel gestured with her hands, pointing as she opened wide and pretend swallowed.</p>
<p>“Yep…”</p>
<p>“In that case, I ain’t gonna be waiting for nobody, c’mon!” She reached her hands into the kitchen and began seasoning herself with icing sugar, syrup, honey, and all manner of various sweet <em>condiments</em> as she hummed and sang cheerily,</p>
<p>“Oh this Spinel is going to be so, <em>so</em> super sweet… ready to be eaten by her hungry friend and join her other bestest friends for forever and ever… la-la la-de-da, oh you better be ready, cause I’m gonna be a flavourful explosion! Oh gee it’s so super swell to finally get eaten along with my other friends!”</p>
<p>Amethyst could only clap and grin as she closed her mouth around the pink gem.</p>
<p>“Thank you!” Spinel called out as she slid into Amethyst’s stomach and into nothingness.</p>
<p>“No problem, Spinny…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Spinel wasn’t wrong when she said she was going to be super tasty, in fact, she couldn’t be more right! Soft and melty like a strawberry-raspberry-cherry mousse cake, but also strong in flavours – emotions – and heartiness (well, she <em>is</em> a heart gem, after all…) as her flavours sent waves of kaleidoscopic colour through Amethyst’s ‘vision’ almost matching the <em>lovebirds’</em>…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Yeah, Spinel tasted <em>almost</em> as amazing as Stevonnie did with Lapis – it <em>was</em> hard to beat a diamond and a <em>royal/elite</em>…)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ever since becoming pink, Lion had been able to feel the life force of Pink – even across many galaxies. Never once did it diminish, more distant after she met Greg sure, but present nonetheless. It was weak when Steven had been born, but again, Lion knew it would bloom.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>About an hour ago though, he stopped sensing all but his ‘pride-mates’, two, then just one…</p>
<p>What was happening?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Confused, he portaled around somewhat aimlessly until he stumbled into a very different feeling not-quite-just-purple Amethyst.</p>
<p>“Hey Buddy, what’s up?” She asked, stroking his mane, “You looking for something?”</p>
<p>“Rooaw-wrr!” He replied, nudging his nose into where her bellybutton/gem might be if she had either.</p>
<p>“Oh… I a-t-e them, comprende?” Amethyst punctuated with exaggerated actions.</p>
<p>Of course, Lion wasn’t stupid, he’d know if she spoke normally, but maybe he would’ve thought it was a joke…</p>
<p>“Really.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lion had never thought he’d <em>outlive</em> Rose, but there he was, and now…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Curling into a ball, Lion laid down, as if beckoning – telling – the quartz to consume his magical majestic body so he’d be reunited with the so, <em>so</em> many…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, okay, I’m taking that as a yes.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>And so, she ate him, and in those moments between opening her mouth and the <em>brief</em> journey, Lion was the most at peace Amethyst thought he ever could be, not moving, fighting, or doing anything much besides taking his last breaths contently…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m coming for you, Laramie!” Amethyst shouted as she chased Lars who was currently frantically screaming open portals while holding Sadie and Shep in his now deceptively strong arms, “You can’t run forever Captain! I’m gonna complete my ‘collection’ no matter what! Lion tasted kinda gamey, but with a meaty texture and A LOT of lovely amazing strawberry, cottony fluffliness, which was <strong>GREAT</strong> and fucking <em>cool</em>! And I can’t wait to get my chompers on you boy!”</p>
<p>“WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS?!”</p>
<p>“I thought you might be interested before I gobble you up.”</p>
<p>“I really appreciate the commentary Amethyst!” Shep commented cheerfully as Lars and Sadie half-groaned, “It really lightens up the situation.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If you’re really gonna eat us, you have to AT LEAST promise us the dignity of being swallowed whole like everyone else.”</p>
<p>“Tired already Captain?” Amethyst ‘jested’, much to his <em>chagrin</em>.</p>
<p>“No, but I’m also not going to run from my <em>problems</em> anymore, I’m down if you’re down Sadie and Shep.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With a three-way kiss, they responded, Lars stopping his frenzied ‘escape’ to saviour the moment.</p>
<p>“You’re just the best, I don’t know how to even…”</p>
<p>“Just make out with us as we become food, Lars.”</p>
<p>“Can do, Sadie, Shep!” He replied as he intensified his efforts</p>
<p>“This wasn’t how I saw myself going out, but you know what?”</p>
<p>“What, Shep?”</p>
<p>“I love you both and that’s more than enough!”</p>
<p>“Love you too Shep!”</p>
<p>“To being eaten together!”</p>
<p>“To being eaten together!”</p>
<p>“Lars, Sadie, and Shep, YEAH!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aww… I just love how certain doom brings out the love in everyone…” Amethyst cooed as she watched them make out, “I’m so glad they got together…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>While they were certainly a strange combination – Lars tasting like slightly meaty strawberry cotton candy, Sadie lemon-lime PowerAde, or a battery/bolt of lightning for lack of a better description, and Shep roasted nutty toffee –, they certainly worked together to compliment and match each other extremely well (and it wasn’t just Amethyst being Amethyst)…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tracking down Onion proved to be quite a bit of a hassle, what with his seemingly logic-defying ‘abilities’ and such that allowed him to repeatedly slip away. Heck, Amethyst doubted he was actually human!</p>
<p>Regardless, the little purple quartz that could persisted, and eventually, Onion had decided he had had enough of running.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As Amethyst closed the last dozen meters to the ‘demon child’, his expression was, as always, unreadable. (If she had to guess, fear probably <em>very </em>ice-cold – not that she was <em>scared</em>, pfft, never!)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Come on lil’ dude, aunt Amethyst is <em>right</em> here…” She beckoned, squatting down slightly <sub>(She figured it’d be best on <em>his</em> terms…)</sub>.</p>
<p>“Ma, ma-ma, MA!” Onion exclaimed as he began sprinting towards Amethyst.</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s it!” Amethyst gave one last cheer before opening wide.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With a mighty push of his legs, he shot into the air, stylishly doing a backflip before sliding feet first down and into Amethyst like her throat was a water slide.</p>
<p>Unsurprisingly, Onion persisted longer than most other inside her stomach, managing to bounce playfully for around a half dozen times before he <em>met his maker</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The energy and flavour that his form and soul unleashed would’ve surprised Amethyst if not for everyone else she’d eaten.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*burp*</p>
<p>*buuurrrrrppppp*</p>
<p>“Man, just what is that kid made of?”</p>
<p>Well, for one, Onion tasted like onion (obviously), and apart from that… he tasted <strike> ̷̢͓̠͇̝̘̠̺̫̋̏͒̆͘ ̷̴̶̶̷̵̡̨̧͓̯͍̜̹̣͍̭̝̪̫̲̲̺͗͒̉̒̌̏̄͋͊͋͊̽́͑̎̆͌̃͂͊͑͘̕͘͞ ̷̶̷̡̨̛̛̛̬̮̥̖̲͖̮̹̝̙̥̱̣̳̹̦̼̺̍̏͌͛͂̾́̓͊̋̉͆̓͛̈́͋̔͋̾̂̊̚͠͞ͅÖ̶̷̵̶̶̷̧̨̰͍͚͖̻̥̱̳̬͕̥̭̪̟͔̮͎͎͎̦̟̤͙́̿̅͌͑̅̓̍̐͐̎̃͂̎͊̇̿͆̇̅̃̈́̒̈́̈́͘̚͜͜͢͜͝͝͞ͅͅҋ̷̶̷̢̡̛͍̺̙͓̜̱̰͙̯̰͈̺̱̥͇͕̠̠̘̩̠̤͈̺͉̥̜͂̇͊̌͋͆̽̈́̈́̌͒͊̇͂́̂̂̊̊̃̅̓͗̋͟͟͢͠ͅĮ̷̷̷̶̷̸̡̨̹̲̱̠͔̼̪̜̪̱̭͎͕̺̝͇̲͓̭̫̤͍̠̇̎̒̈͋̍̋̀͆̂̆̂̃̋͌͒̂͂͆͋̇̐͗̄́̊͂͋́͢͜͠͞ǭ̷̷̶̷̴̧̡̢̧̛̺͕͙̱̪͕̹̱̗͍͚̟͚̗̗͇̭̬̹̞̘͔͓̼̿̏̏̐̓͗̃͋̉̓̀̎̈́̌̀͒͋̔͌͛̂̔̿͘̚͜͢͠͝͡͞ᵰ̷̸̶̶̷̸̨̨̧̛͚̥̺͈͓̮͔̣͍͈̼̜̟̝͉̣͇͈̟̳̽̆̓̀̓̿̌̔̾̽͌̿̅̀͐̈́͊̓̉̅̿͋̓̃͘͟͢͢͜͡͠͡͠͞ ̷̶̷̛̰̻͖͍̻̳̘̰̤͚̼̤̝̙̥̝̝̮͈̦̫̺̭̘̤̳̺͐̎̈̔̓̉̆͗̊͂̿̆̐͑̀̄͘̕͢͞</strike>…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eh,” Amethyst shrugged as she made her way back into town, “It’s probably for the best…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If Little Homeworld were <em>edible</em>, it’d be like an out of this world buffet…, which it currently was for Amethyst since she was hungry for more gems…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just steps into the main plaza, she found a surprisingly serene Jasper practising yoga on a comically undersized mat.</p>
<p>“Hey Jap! Guess who it is.”</p>
<p>The orange quartz didn’t respond and continued taking deep breaths with her eyes closed. In and out, in and out, she breathed, her stomach rising and falling as her lungs expanded and contracted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After several minutes, she opened her eyes to find Amethyst looking at her with an amused expression.</p>
<p>“Well, if it isn’t my favourite lil’ runt of a sister, Amethyst. What brings you here?”</p>
<p>“Oh Nothin’, just visiting my fav sis and stuff,” She walked up and hugged her, “What about you?”</p>
<p>“Just thought it’d be a good day to take things nice and slow you know, pretty quiet isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“Yup!”</p>
<p>“Say,” Jasper said, picking up Amethyst in a hug of her own and lifting her up, “Is it just me or is there something different ‘bout ya? It’s almost like you’ve gotten bigger or something, I swear you were smaller yesterday…”</p>
<p>“You ain’t wrong!” Amethyst exclaimed joyfully, leaping out of Jasper’s grasp, “I <em>have</em> gotten bigger, cuz I’ve been <em>eating</em> gems!”</p>
<p>“Ah, so that’s why it’s so quiet, especially Peri’s house,” She mused, giggling, “Welp, let’s go then, gotta get you BIG and STRONG!”</p>
<p>“Thanks for doing this.”</p>
<p>“No, thank <em>you</em>, for it is an honour!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Any last words sis?”</p>
<p>“I love you Ames.”</p>
<p>“Love you too, Jasp.”</p>
<p>“If there’s an afterlife, I’m coming to have some words with you Rose, ‘cause you really screwed so much shit up!”</p>
<p>“Pfftt… yeah, she did, didn’t she?”</p>
<p>“Say hi to Greg for me Amethyst, may we meet again another time when the stars align, Mr. Universe…”</p>
<p>‘Knew it!’ Amethyst mentally fist-pumped as she lifted Jasper up and into her mouth, ‘Nobody could’ve escaped his universe charm, <em>especially</em> the perfect ultimate quartz…’</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Strong, tough, and spicy, like a monster chicken or a mega-ripped legendary flying emu seasoned to <em>hot</em> perfection with the hottest peppers and cheesiest cheeses, dipped in smashed cheeto puffs and guacamole for <em>extra</em> smoothness and crunchiness of course.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(The various other gems – quartzes – followed the same ‘basic’ scheme with their own combinations of strong flavours and toughness, which was neat.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, look who just showed up in my forge, the laziest, ‘good for nothing’-est, prankster-ky-est Amethyst!” Bismuth greeted Amethyst with a strong hug.</p>
<p>“Aww, thanks, I <em>do</em> try my best!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’ve been eating gems, haven’t you?”</p>
<p>“Yeah… sorry…”</p>
<p>“Don’t be! I never really thought I’d see the end of the war, but here we are! Besides, I think I’ve kept them waiting long enough… just lemme finish up on this, it’ll just be a minute.”</p>
<p>“Sure thing, I love watching you work like EVERYONE!”</p>
<p>“Are you going to stop talking or…?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, warm or cold?” Bismuth asked once she finished her last project, a simple little trinket.</p>
<p>“Warm please.”</p>
<p>“Can do!” She replied as she warmed herself up in the lava (but not too much).</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>“I’ve got some bones to pick and I’m coming for ya, Rose!”</em> Was the last thing Bismuth said before being eaten by Amethyst.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Being more of a ‘metal’ than a ‘gem’, Bismuth’s flavour(s), like her Rainbow hair, stood out greatly. If one could taste the (a) rainbow – ‘skittles’ – Bismuth would certainly be it, albeit with a strong ‘metallic’ taste that tingled like carbonation, but different; different good…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Next were Garnet and the Rubies whom had been out on a leisurely stroll together – ‘Ruby time’, as they had called it –, sharing stories, tips, or the occasional ‘roughhousing’.</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p><em>“Our time has come,”</em> The fusion had said,<em> “Do not fear, my fellow Rubies, for it will all be alright.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“Yes!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Eye-eye! Hehe, get it? Eye?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Oh! Hahaha! Mmm-hmm.”</em>
</p>
<p><em>“Good, now please form an orderly line towards your </em>demise<em>,” </em>Doc the ruby said as Garnet smiled and chuckled, <em>“We don’t want any accidents now…”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“It’s been an honour…”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Farewell and bon voyage?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Eh, sure.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Garnet tasted like a fiery raspberry and cool blueberry marbled cake – perfectly sweet, balanced, fused –, while the 5 rubies each tasted a different shade of red. Some – Eyeball and Army – were pure spice like fire salt, peppers, spicy jerky, or just <em>fire</em>, while others tasted much sweeter like Doc being a giant lollipop, Navy being a sweet curry with added fruit, and Leggy being an amazing extra fruity strawberry/cherry pudding.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not long after that, Amethyst stumbled into Stevonnie’s ever cheery and energetic girl-girlfriend, Lemon Jade (or Lemonade as many called her). Like Spinel, she was positive right ‘til the end, smiling and making jokes as she let Amethyst eat her.</p>
<p><em>“I guess I should’ve seen this coming… </em>after all<em>, they don’t call me Lemonade for nothin’!”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“Heh, yeah!”</em>
</p>
<p>True to her name, the Jade fusion tasted how she looked and name sounded – lemony-lime lemonade with a touch of pineapple-apple sorbet –, smooth, refreshing, and super sweet!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Round and round, Amethyst went around Little Homeworld,</p>
<p>House by house she would visit,</p>
<p>In each, a yummy new friend for her tummy,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some screamed, others cried,</p>
<p>But only just for a bit as they realised the truth,</p>
<p>Trrruuuuttthhh, that they were delicious and to be eaten,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And join their many, many friends in heaven,</p>
<p>Oh, it’s wonderful, glorious, how fantastic they all tasted,</p>
<p>Plentiful, flavourful, spectacular,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fluorite the Fusion, big and <em>juicy</em>,</p>
<p>A challenge to swallow, but oh what a treat indeed,</p>
<p>Colourful and energetic like an aurora, plasma,</p>
<p>Luminescent, dazzling like glow sticks and disco lights <em><sub>(but food!)</sub></em>,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Watermelon Tourmaline, big, bouncy, spikey, green and pink,</p>
<p>Light like a cloud, heavy with boundless love and cheer,</p>
<p>She’s a refreshing delight, bright, like a slightly <em>fishy</em> mountain-dewy watermelon with rind,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Blue and Yellow Zircon, super gay, superb friends,</p>
<p>Lawyers of <em>The Trial</em>, revealers of Rose’s veils,</p>
<p>A sweet defence, sour persecution, Blueberry and Lemon Tarts,</p>
<p>More than fine alone, magnitudes better together <em>not alone</em>,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Orange Spodumene, light, bright, glowing personality,</p>
<p>Instrumental Connverse instigator, essential party fun invigorator,</p>
<p>Super cute and just occasionally <em>slightly </em>lewd,</p>
<p>Oh, only she could taste like a fluorescent jellyfish,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bixbite, only a little crabby in a fight or if you bite,</p>
<p><em>Hard</em> outsides, delicious insides,</p>
<p>Oh wait, that’s just a crab, Bixbite isn’t hard outside at all,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Emerald…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wait, Emerald?” Amethyst asked upon seeing the less than usual sight, “Are you…”</p>
<p>“Yes, Amethyst, that’s me, and no, I’m just visiting…”</p>
<p>“For now…”</p>
<p>“Whatever…” Emerald quipped back behind supressed giggles, “So, I heard you’ve been eating gems, right?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p>“In that case, just let me pose before you feast on my being.”</p>
<p>“Emmy, such drama queen as always…”</p>
<p>“You know it’ll make me taste better… and pose!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As Amethyst swallowed the ever-fabulous Emerald, the release of flavour, energy, and <em>confidence</em> was impossible to ignore. Despite the extra effort the pose posed, it was definitely worth it!</p>
<p>Out of everyone so far, Emerald had come closest to sating her hunger – apart from Spinel – after Stevonnie and Lapis. An ‘elite’ of <em>elites</em> with a taste to match… Not a diamond, but Amethyst would get there soon enough.</p>
<p>“A true masterpiece like the finest wasabi and sushi put together; great taste, fantastic form… but still not really dessert…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Being as Pearl as ever, Pearl’s initial reaction upon hearing it from Amethyst had been that of shock, fear, and ‘outrage’.</p>
<p>“WHAT?! No, no… It’s TOO LATE! How could you? It-it…” She fretted as her counterparts stood beside her without a hint of concern.</p>
<p>“Well, I think it’s wonderful how everyone tasted so different and amazingly <em>them</em>!” Pink Pearl (Volley|-ball) remarked even as Pearl teetered on the ‘edge’ of a breakdown.</p>
<p>“I’ve always wondered how I’d taste. People always call me spicy or bitter, but I just don’t see why?”</p>
<p>“You <em>are</em> pretty sweet like me; maybe they just mean the angry you?”</p>
<p>“Sounds about right, Bloop,” Yellow Pearl giggled as she tapped Blue Pearl’s nose, causing her to growl slightly in response, “Anyway, I bet I’d be…”</p>
<p>“Real sour!” Pearl joked, now feeling much better, at ease, “Because you’ve got just as much attitude and sass as Yellow Diamond, if not more!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, P.” Amethyst high-fived Pearl, “She <em>does</em> have attitude!”</p>
<p>“I do not!” Yellow huffed before laughing, “Ok, maybe I do…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let’s do this!”</p>
<p>“Yeah!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The four Pearls hugged as Amethyst opened wide and slowly engulfed their forms.</p>
<p>“I love you, Yellow, Blue.”</p>
<p>“We love you too, Pearl.”</p>
<p>“Thanks for being the best Pearlfriends ever!”</p>
<p>“We sure are, Pink, we sure are… and thank you for being just so you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amethyst swore she could hear their voices chatting away long after she felt their forms being completely absorbed. Yeah, they were cute alright… and with Pink/Volley joining them occasionally, they just made for a really fun, not take a shit from anyone bunch that were ready to kick butt at a moment’s notice. (If Rose could feel pain in heaven, she’d be in for quite <em>a ride</em>…)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Combined, the four pearls made for a palate that was as multi-dimensional as it was holographic and pearlfectly pearlescent, iridescent. Pearl was – had been – as salty as pearls came, but had recently taken on sweeter and more delightful tones since the reveal, complimenting and completing her personality and taste. Likewise, the ‘s(t)uck up’ Yellow Pearl, though undeniably still sour, was not unpalatably so. The bitterness – along with spiciness – that Bloop represented weren’t usually at the forefront in most foods, simply being ‘relegated’ to delicacies, medicines, extreme-challengers and such.</p>
<p>Although the expected ‘reserved’ sweetness she held did sweeten things somewhat, it still didn’t account for how pleasant the bitter and spicy were. Simply put, it wasn’t a bad bitter or plain monochromatic like vodka or moonshine; it was bright, vibrant, and rich just like the artist’s wide ranging personality and presence. And Amethyst definitely enjoyed that…</p>
<p>Then there was Pink Pearl (or Volley/VB)…</p>
<p>Ever chipper, she was the ‘icing’ on top and so much more! Sweet, <em>organic</em>, smooth, sophisticated, and energetic, there was just no food that she could be compared to or described by. Despite coming closest to being truly organic in the scope of gems, the tastes of all the pearls were also perhaps the most alien and different yet/ever.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Given their long repressed individuality, personality, and worth because of their <em>status</em> – on top of their closeness with some of the <em>highest</em>… –, Amethyst supposes that it does make <em>some</em> sense after all…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just a few more before I’m done here… Okay, lucky gems, come on out and claim your prize!”</p>
<p>Amethyst received no response as she continued walking around an almost ghostly Little Homeworld.</p>
<p>“Oh right; I must’ve missed lil’ homegirl’s house!” She slapped her forehead and laughed, “Welp, better late than never…”</p>
<p>
  <strong>*Ding dong*</strong>
</p>
<p>‘Classic and <em>overused</em>, but it sure as heck works…’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cherry Quartz opened the door with a half-frown that turned into an amused grin.</p>
<p>“<em>Last</em> again… are you sure you didn’t forget my house on purpose?”</p>
<p>“Maybe?” Amethyst replied with an unconvincing shrug.</p>
<p>“I just hope I taste good enough…”</p>
<p>“Hey, none of that okay!” Amethyst pulled her into a hug, their forms now much closer in size, “You’ll be great, I know it! And you know it too!”</p>
<p>She couldn’t help but chuckle as she felt Amethyst’s slobber begin dripping down her back, “Yeah.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After pulling away and taking a last few photos together, Amethyst opened wide as Cherry looked skyward with a wide smile and twinkles in her eyes.</p>
<p>If Greg was a cherry man, than Cherry Quartz was literally the cherry-pie gem. And she didn’t just taste like any <em>plain</em> cherry pie, no…; she was the best of best – a cherry cranberry pie with choc chip crust!</p>
<p>“Mmm-mmm… Delicious…” Amethyst commented, licking her tongue and rubbing her belly satisfactorily before moving on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was strange seeing Little Homeworld so quiet – it was almost like ‘back in the day’, except everyone was on good terms –, but that didn’t bother the ‘little’ Amethyst that could in her quest. In fact, if anything, all the quiet made it any activity and presence super obvious.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aquamarine, Topaz…” She called out, “I know you’re here…”</p>
<p>“Find us if you can!” Aquamarine’s playful voice sounded from a nearby flowerpot.</p>
<p>When Amethyst tipped it over and looked into it, she found nothing at all.</p>
<p>“Okay, that was a nice one…” The quartz panned around, hoping to find wherever the little gem was throwing her voice from – which happened to be a milkcrate-sized mailbox, the only other container-esque object around.</p>
<p>“So you’re definitely <em>not</em> hiding in this mailbox?” She said conspicuously as she approached the object, “Cause I’m gonna open it…”</p>
<p>“Nope!” Aqua replied with a disembodied voice behind Amethyst.</p>
<p>“I guess this will just be a waste of time then…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amethyst opened the mailbox to find a shrunken down Aquamarine and two yellow gemstones ‘sandwiching’ a ridiculous looking topaz.</p>
<p>“AHAHAHAHA, oh my god!” She pulled them both out as they returned to their normal size, “That was precious!”</p>
<p>“Yay, you found us!” Aqua and Topaz exclaimed, giggling as Amethyst hugged them both.</p>
<p>“Sure did,” Amethyst exclaimed as she ruffled Aqua’s hair, “Ya little cutie! How long were you in there anyway?”</p>
<p>“Oh, not too long…” Aqua replied as she contently fell into Amethyst’s hug, “Just a few minutes, totally not uncomfortable at all, right Topaz?”</p>
<p>“Nope!” The yellow gem replied enthusiastically, “I didn’t even think I could ever be SO small!”</p>
<p>“Well, you’re about to get a whole lot smaller, or larger, depending on how you look at it…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Besides the <em>shock</em> and acceptance, Peridot had also briefly commented on the nature of those consumed and what particularly happens to them and Amethyst afterwards – not that it mattered much, it was just an interesting thought that floated through her scientific mind in the moments before becoming ‘<em>test subject</em>’ numero tre…</p>
<p>“Come on now, we haven’t got all day!”</p>
<p>“Ok, ok,” Amethyst giggled as she released Aqua from her hug, “Any last words?”</p>
<p>“Just this,” She smiled and summoned her wand from her gem, presenting it to Amethyst, “Keep it safe, okay?”</p>
<p>“Will do,” Amethyst took and stowed the weapon with one hand while using the other to pick up the small gem.</p>
<p>“… And down the gullet we go!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After watching Amethyst swallow her former boss and current friend, Topaz had to ask the <em>billion-dollar question</em>.</p>
<p>“So… what does she taste like?” Topaz’s eyes were not alight with fear and shock, but instead, it was glistening with curiosity, and anticipation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, hmm…” It was hard to describe just exactly what the ‘baby’ gem had tasted like, since like most, her personality and being had many layers of complexity. (Not to mention, she’d have to describe it in a way Topaz could also understand…)</p>
<p>“Just a minuscule dusting of sourness and bitterness on the surface, a reminder of her past that she would never forget, but strives to and does learn and grow from… Super sweet and bright through to the core, like a gummy candy, but airier... Kinda like a blueberry, but probably closer to some strange alien fruit…”</p>
<p>“Mmm…” Topaz nodded, “Sounds about right, my turn!”</p>
<p>“Batter up, <em>buttercup</em>, ‘cause I’m pretty sure you’re about to put the word pound into a <em>pound</em> cake!”</p>
<p>“That’d be nice,” Topaz smiled as Amethyst opened wide, “Me, a giant pound cake…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Topaz tasted exactly like what Amethyst had thought she’d taste, and then some… The Topaz fusion wasn’t just any old supersized pound cake, no…, she was an extra buttered lemon-pineapple-mango <em>mega</em> pound cake, super smooth, fruity, flavourful, and buttery, but not tasting just like butter by itself…</p>
<p>(Amethyst was pretty sure Lars had something similar at his shop, albeit with much less – none – of the cardiovascular clogging and flatulence producing properties…)</p>
<p>“And now, it’s time for a little <em>detour</em>…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was another usual day for Tulip Olsen of Minnesota as she approached her 1-year ‘anniversary’ of boarding and then leaving the Infinity Train, having helped restore One-one’s status as the benevolent conductor and Amelia start coming to terms with her loss. All in all, life was good!</p>
<p>If it weren’t for her lack of a reflection – that she still hasn’t quite gotten used to yet every time she looked in a mirror –, her parents and her friends would’ve never believed her at all.</p>
<p><em>“Eh,” She had shrugged when she was reminded of what that really meant, “I’ll always have selfies, and if I really need to see myself for outfits, make-up, or whatnot, I </em>could<em> always just ask for help or not really bother… It’s not like I’m getting any more or less popular anyway, I’m me and that’s all I need.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Wise words indeed…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Coming up on 14 and already so wise, I wonder what lies ahead for the great Tulip Olsen…” The perennial child said to herself as she walked down the hallway towards her room, “But first, it’s time to finish that <em>Defend the Photon</em> game series from my favourite cartoon franchise…”</p>
<p>Walking into her room, she greeted its usual ‘residents’.</p>
<p>“Hey fishies, hello lamp, what’s up Mr Computer…”</p>
<p>“Sup Tulip,” Amethyst greeted casually as she laid in the girl’s bed.</p>
<p>“Nothing much, Amethyst, I was just gonna…” She replied, blasé… only to do a double take as she realised, “Wait, AMETHYST?!”</p>
<p>“Yep, sur-<em>prise</em>…” The quartz confirmed, as if her crossing into this ‘dimension’ wasn’t a big deal at all.</p>
<p>“You’re from <em>Steven Universe</em>, my favourite show! How can…”</p>
<p>“I know, and so are you!”</p>
<p>“I am? I am…” Tulip blinked and shrugged, “Wouldn’t be the strangest thing since losing – freeing – my reflection… Wait, so… are you really here?”</p>
<p>Amethyst responded by summoning her whip to pull the girl onto the bed and into a hug, “That enough for ya?”</p>
<p>“Mmm-hmm!” She nodded enthusiastically as she studied the gem’s form, “You’re SO COOL! You’ve got all these cool powers and things! And you like my show?”</p>
<p>“Yup, nice to meet ya too, flower girl…” Amethyst giggled as Tulip fangirled, “Infinity Train is like my second – third, maybe fourth – favourite thing after <em>Steven Universe</em> and hanging out with and seeing Stevonnie!”</p>
<p>“To feel and experience that…”</p>
<p>“Yeah, it <strong>is</strong> <em>awesome</em>…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The purple quartz and flower child chatted and exchanged stories as they learnt more about the other. For both, it was literally like meeting a hero from, well, their favourite show in real life, and not just some actor paid to look like them!</p>
<p>Once she felt she felt comfortable enough, Amethyst broached the <em>actual</em> reason for her presence.</p>
<p>“Anyway, I’ve been eating other gems whole, so that’s why I’m bigger, see?”</p>
<p>“Not really, but okay…” Tulip pulled back, puzzled – but not about the cannibalistic part or what she was implying –, “You still look Amethyst-sized to me…”</p>
<p>“Darn ‘scaling’,” Amethyst said under her breath, “I swear…”</p>
<p>“I assume you’ve eaten a few humans from Beach City too, right?”</p>
<p>“Sure have, and…”</p>
<p>“Heads up, I’m probably gonna just taste like onions and whatnot…”</p>
<p>“We’ll see about that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>One note to her parents (not that they’d have to worry long, with…) and finished <em>Defend the Proton</em> game later, Tulip was ready.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t worry; I’m gonna get Lake and her little-big ‘<em>boyfriend</em>’ next, so you won’t be alone for long…”</p>
<p>“Right, cause that was what I was worried about… <sub>well, it kinda is…</sub>”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amethyst supressed a giggle as she swallowed Tulip headfirst.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Honestly, Amethyst didn’t really know what else to expect – the girl eats onions like apples for Pete’s sake! –, and if Onion was <em>Onion</em>, well…</p>
<p>Tulip tasted like onions and carrots with a touch of garlic; slightly strange and ‘eccentric’ like her personality, but still food nonetheless. (And Amethyst was fine with that.)</p>
<p>“Welp, I’m done here, Arizona here I come!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### Meanwhile in <strike>Florida</strike> Arizona… ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s just so beautiful, isn’t it?” Lake <sub>(‘MT’ | Mirror Tulip)</sub> casually commented as she sat with Jesse by the shore of the lake outside his house, soaking in yet another beautiful day, “It’s nothing like the wild cars of the train, but here, we’re free…”</p>
<p>“Yeah…” He smiled and hugged his metallic friend, “I never used to think this was anything special until… But I’m glad it all happened the way it did, because I met you!”</p>
<p>“And we helped us help each other grow,” She tightened her hug as her face flushed with what appeared to be a blush, “Which was awesome.”</p>
<p>“Is that a <em>blush</em> I see?”</p>
<p>“Nope, just the sun!”</p>
<p>“Right…” Jesse’s ‘retort’ was cut short when they began hearing footsteps in the grass behind them… and it couldn’t be Nate since he was hanging out with another friend…</p>
<p>“Okay, who’s…” They turned around in alarm, being still partly on edge after the train, but stopped upon seeing the purple quartz.</p>
<p>“Yo,” Amethyst causally greeted, “Sup.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Amethyst?” They asked in unison, both having recently gotten into <em>Steven Universe</em> after their <em>metamorphosis</em>, “You’re real and like, purple with a gem!”</p>
<p>“So? You’re metal and he’s squishy.”</p>
<p>“Wait, wouldn’t that mean…”</p>
<p>“We’re all cartoons? Yup,” Amethyst’s nonchalance tone was a stark contrast to what some would consider a ‘bombshell’, “But it’s no biggie, we’re still totally real and all that…”</p>
<p>Lake and Jesse simply blinked, deciding it wasn’t worth losing their minds over.</p>
<p>“So, what brings you here? It’s not like there’s any gem stuff around, unless…”</p>
<p>“Nah, it’s not that, the kid’s fine!” She gestured reassuringly and smiled, “In fact, I just wanted to pay you two a visit <sub>and eat you both</sub>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eat us?” Lake asked as she subconsciously grabbed Jesse’s hand, “Like they do in those horror movies?”</p>
<p>“Uh-huh,” Amethyst nodded, “Already did it with my friends and <em>Tulip</em>…”</p>
<p>“NO, no-no-no!” The chrome girl wailed, her arm now wrapped around Jesse’s waist, “We can’t-… I CAN’T… This can’t happen yet! I-I-we just got off the train… There’s still so much we-I have yet to do! It can’t end like this… no…”</p>
<p>“Hey…” Jesse grabbed her cheeks, turning her to face him, and looked into her tearing eyes, “It’s okay Lake, there’s a bajillion ways we or anyone could’ve gone out…”</p>
<p>“It’s not though, I-I…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Suddenly and without saying anything, Lake drove in and pressed her lips against Jesse’s – cool, rapidly warming metal meeting flesh…</p>
<p>There was half a gasp of surprise from Jesse before he eagerly leaned into Lake’s kiss, their arms tightly wrapping around the other’s back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <sub>“Aw, yeah!” Amethyst fist-pumped quietly as she watched them make out.</sub>
</p>
<p>“Lake…”</p>
<p>“Jesse…”</p>
<p>“Ilubyou…metoo…” They mumbled as they started french kissing, much to the quartz’s delight…</p>
<p>“Aww… just like Steven and Connie…”</p>
<p>A moment later, they had tumbled onto the grass, still kissing as their hands wondered…</p>
<p>‘Damn gurl…’</p>
<p>“Mmm… yeah…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amethyst knew where this was going, and so, before things could turn explicit, she picked them both up and threw them down her gullet. (They’d definitely be continuing that in heaven…)</p>
<p>“Damn love tastes good!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tasting like a great hamburger – or pizza, Amethyst could hardly tell –, succulent, juicy, full of layers, flavours, and well balanced with ever-present sweetness, Jesse was akin to a dish found only at the fanciest of restaurants, but was at the same time, surprising down to earth and easy to get. On the other hand, Lake’s taste was pure <em>metal</em> – even more so than Bismuth –, but still nonetheless, was distinguished and beautifully sweet.</p>
<p>Alone, you’d never think their flavours could work so well together, but they did, which was why Amethyst loved experimenting <em>so</em> much – you just never know until you try!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before embarking on her trip towards devouring the other diamonds, Amethyst returned to Little Homeworld for some <em>refreshments</em>.</p>
<p>‘Can’t go without mints, now, can we? That’d just be silly!’ She thought to herself as she gathered her ‘targets’.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Being the only ice gems around, Snowflake Obsidian and Little Larimar were not at all surprised when the now not-so-little purple quartz gathered them together.</p>
<p>“Well, it’s been ice snowing dew, Amethyst.”</p>
<p>“Haha… same, Snowy, same…” Amethyst giggled at Snowflake’s pun-filled farewell as she hugged her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As Amethyst blasted off into space, her mouth had never felt so fresh and cool, the two ice gems having freshened her up more than all the mintiest mints combined. (She could <em>practically</em> breathe ice… or maybe that was just space?)</p>
<p>Whatever it may be, it didn’t matter as she literally had her work cut out for her…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eventually, Amethyst found the pink zoo ship turned cruise ship. Just in time for her <em>appetite</em> too…</p>
<p>“Time to come home, fam…” She said to herself as she entered the dock’s airlock.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“8XM!” | “AMETHYST!” | “SIS!”</p>
<p>Amethyst was immediately greeted with the faces of her amazing fam, Holly Blue Agate, and the zoomans.</p>
<p>“Hey-o!” She greeted back, waiting for at least one of them to notice…</p>
<p>“Hey-“ Carnelian came up to hug her, but found herself now being quite a bit shorter – not that she felt bad about it, “Wow, you got big!”</p>
<p>“Back to being the smallest aye, Carny?” Holly commented, giggling along with a few of the Famethyst.</p>
<p>Any questions they might’ve had were held off as the fam and Amethyst shared another bout of quartz hugs/snuggles. (The zoomans gladly gave them their space as they went back to lounging.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Now that that’s over with,” Skinny said, approaching Amethyst once everyone had enough hugs and snuggles, “Spill the beans.”</p>
<p>“Oh well, you know,” Amethyst gestured as she explained, “Gems, aah… yummy to get me big and strong.”</p>
<p>“Welp, it’s not like I got anything better to do now, what with you having eaten…”</p>
<p>Amethyst wasted no time in plopping the Agate down into her mouth, stopping her mid-sentence as the fam watched on casually.</p>
<p>
  <sup>“Thank you!”</sup>
</p>
<p>“She really likes asskissing, doesn’t she?” (Holly tasted sweet, but also ‘chewy’ and slightly salty – like saltwater taffy, but more palatable?)</p>
<p>“Don’t get us started, 8XM… I mean, she’s changed and really nice now, but yeah… it is endearing how she shows appreciation, I guess…”</p>
<p>“Agreed…”</p>
<p>“Let’s get you started then,” An Amethyst said as they, the Betas, and the Rose Quartzes began forming an orderly line towards her.</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah!” Amethyst exclaimed before opening wide…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>While each Amethyst tasted <em>purple</em>, each also had their own distinct flavours and dimensions, whether it was grape, the zoo fruits, something alien but yummy, or everything else that they combined to make up 50-or-something shades of, well, purple…</p>
<p>Lacking Jasper’s tragic past filled with (not completely, but much, <em>much</em> less…) anger, rage, regret, and sadness, the beta quartzes tasted less spicy and more like fruity – grapefruit, oranges, tomatoes… –, albeit with most still having a distinct <em>meatiness </em>akin to chicken, salmon, or whatever… (There was also Carnelian who tasted like raspberry.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Roses, while not <em>her</em>, were greatly similar in many ways, each tasting a distinct shade of pink out of 1000 (or so). While Amethyst had expected to be slightly annoyed by the reminders, she was pleasantly surprised by how much joy and happiness each new Rose had brought with their ingestion.</p>
<p>It was easy to lose track of all the good <em>she</em> had done in light of the bad, but they would certainly be in a very different, possibly – likely – worse place without <em>her </em>‘legacy’ and what her greatest sacrifices have enabled…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Anything?” White Diamond asked concerningly as she paced about near Yellow.</p>
<p>It was only a few cycles – days – since all communications and activities outside of Homeworld had vanished without a trace, which in this time of peace, was especially concerning.</p>
<p>“No, nothing at all,” Yellow replied glumly, her time at the monitoring stations – complete silence – giving her nothing but more cause for concern.</p>
<p>“Have you tried the Famethyst?” Blue suggested hopefully, “They’re pretty chill and would respond pretty quickly.”</p>
<p>“I wish I could tell you I <em>didn’t</em>, but I did, just 5 minutes ago, and yesterday… and I got nothing…”</p>
<p>“Oh…” Blue’s optimism fell as she slumped down onto her couch.</p>
<p>“Moonbeam, Sunbeam, I have a feeling about this… good or bad I’m not sure, but I haven’t felt like this since <em>Rose</em> faked her shattering all those years ago…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before either could make another comment about her omnipresence, an alarm began sounding throughout the space.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Caution! Caution! Unidentified object detected entering Homeworld airspace! Planetary defences and offenses are armed, waiting on user input and decision.”</em>
</p>
<p>It had been wise to implement a planetary tracking, identification, and weapons system, even in such a time of peace, since you never knew. Of course, they never planned to use it even in an ‘invasion’, but it had also brought great peace of mind…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yellow, main screen if you will, it’s time to find out who our <em>visitor</em> is.”</p>
<p>“Yes, got it!” She replied and did just that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Projected on the screen, in stark contrast to the black space and stars beyond was a purple object.</p>
<p>“Enhance.”</p>
<p>*Beep*</p>
<p>They could now see that the object was roundish, taller than wide, than ‘thick’.</p>
<p>“More.”</p>
<p>*Beep*</p>
<p>The purple shape now took up the whole screen, and once it came into focus, the three diamonds could tell it was humanoid and familiar.</p>
<p>“Is that…” White blinked.</p>
<p>“Amethyst?” Blue observed, “Since when was she this big?”</p>
<p>“Now, apparently,” Yellow replied, “Disarm weapons, friendly identified.”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Authorisation accepted, disarming weapons and deploying welcome banners. Have a nice day, Yellow Diamond.”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Despite the ‘circumstances’, Amethyst was all smiles as she landed in the Diamond Palace, the welcoming paraphernalia and such making Homeworld as bright, vibrant, and lively as it’s ever been. (Even more so than seeing all the gems mingling in the plaza as the diamonds hosted the <em>dankest</em> dance/ball/rave ever with Stevonnie ‘front and center’ in the spotlight, enjoying themself…)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yo my dudes,” Amethyst waved as she greeted the diamonds casually, “Not that you had to… but I <strong>loved</strong> the welcome <em>fireworks</em>!”</p>
<p>“Hey Amethyst,” they replied with a giggle, “What brings you here to this ‘neck of the woods’?”</p>
<p>“Oh nothin’, just visiting my favourite trio of dysfunctional diamonds I call family, you know…”</p>
<p>“Well that’s just sweet…” White cooed before broaching the ‘elephant in the room’, her arms gesturing illustratively, “Say Amethyst… you sure got <em>big</em> since we last saw you…” (It wasn’t like there was any other way to describe the change – tall just didn’t make sense when she was still… well, Amethyst shaped; and while her proportions didn’t change, her scale sure did…)</p>
<p>“Oh, this?” Amethyst gestured around herself, “Yeah, I guess I <em>did</em> get bigger.”</p>
<p>“But how?” Yellow asked, unable to contain her curiosity, “Last we knew, gems don’t <em>grow</em> grow… Well, except for hybrids and probably ‘gemlings’… whenever the first one/s gets made or created that is…”</p>
<p>“That’s still true… but…”</p>
<p>“Oh no…” Blue grasped, hand flying over her mouth, ”Stars, not that…”</p>
<p>“I have tasted the <em>forbidden fruit</em>, and nothing can stop me now!”</p>
<p>The diamonds couldn’t tell if Amethyst was doing a ‘demonic’ on purpose (she probably was), but it didn’t matter anyway; they were already connecting the dots and making sense of everything…</p>
<p>If Amethyst was here, then…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No… not our precious Pink | Stevonnie | Starlight… not them… Anyone but them…”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry you didn’t get to say goodbye, but if it makes you feel any better…” Amethyst said, looking into their eyes with (rare for her) seriousness and sincerity, “They went together with Lapis, kissing beautifully as they descended into the depths, forms closer than ever…”</p>
<p>“They’re super-duper adorable together, aren’t they?” The diamond trio cooed, tears falling from each of their eyes as they savoured the moment through their imagination, “To see that…”</p>
<p>Yeah, Stevonnie and Lapis were cute together, that was a fact…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And now…” Yellow blinked her tears away, smile turning into a frown, “There’s nothing left to live for… it’ll happen; you and I both know it, so just get it over with already.”</p>
<p>Seeing her scared or mad was one thing, but seeing her so <em>dead</em> inside as she walked towards her… Amethyst felt just a little bad for being the cause of it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But not bad enough to <em>not</em> already begin the process of devouring the golden gem before her other counterparts could react.</p>
<p>“Yellow | Sunbeam!”</p>
<p>“See you on the other side,” was all she said as she turned to give her parting words, “It’s been swell knowing y’all.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Though her exterior may appear tough to some, like durians, Yellow was all sweet and sunshine inside. Even before her millennia of grief, she was still much the same ‘stern’ <em>clod</em> as she had been until her <em>recent</em> liberation. If anything, Amethyst was sure that this reborn Yellow was all the more sweeter on the inside!</p>
<p>Blue followed shortly after, wasting no time to reunite with her <em>beloved</em>.</p>
<p>“Don’t forget Comby, alright?”</p>
<p>“I won’t.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With a smile, the Blue former matriarch submits herself to fate.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Like starbursts or gushers, but in pastry form and much more intricate, Blue was filled with layers upon layers of flavours, sensations, and emotions. There was the sad sourness that had clouded her until a few years ago, the spiciness of now known misdirected anger, but mostly, it was sweet (so very sweet) – her joy and happiness materialised – tastes that dominated.</p>
<p>“Something akin to Blueberry, but better…”</p>
<p>“Words failing you? I’m not surprised… that’s Moonbeam for ya…” White said wistfully, now the only one left besides Amethyst.</p>
<p>“By the way, does Yellow actually know that she shares her nickname with an earth electronics brand?”</p>
<p>“She does,” White giggled, “She couldn’t stop laughing for DAYS when she found out!” She paused for a breath as she got back on topic, “Anyway… before I go, I’d just like to say, I’m sorry <em>Rose</em>, for… everything… I hope you can forgive me – us…”</p>
<p>“I’m sure she did, does, and will… however time works <em>there</em>…”</p>
<p>“Thanks Amethyst,” the luminous gem cooed as she picked her up and hugged her while ruffling her hair, “I’m so glad she found you.”</p>
<p>“Me too, me too…”</p>
<p>A quick ‘sloppy’ kiss from White later, the quartz’s feet were once again on the floor of the palace, ready to eat…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Being as bright as she was, White’s glow could be seen through Amethyst’s form until the moment she became absorbed, whereupon the quartz increased in size to become taller than even White had been…</p>
<p>Flavour-wise, once the intense brightness and boldness were processed, was a supernova of sensations nothing short of the most superlative form of incredible there was; like a kaleidoscope of colour, she was filled with all the favours – emotions and feelings – one could ever imagine, and then some… A rainbow paled in comparison to her <em>colour</em> and vibrance; she was the first light shone by and for gemkind, and also the last…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Welp, nothing left to do here but clean up…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Back on Earth, having absorbed the souls and forms of every other gem, and thus now being holder of <em>every</em> gem ability and power ever, it was simply trivial for Amethyst to dig down through the layers of <em>Earth</em> and retrieve the cluster from its ‘home’, bubble and all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And all without blowing the planet up or whatever!” Amethyst commented to herself as she filled up the ‘crater’ left by her ‘little’ task, “I wonder what you look like…”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Probably not a hand, but definitely way bigger than the diamond ‘mech’…”</em>
</p>
<p>Remembering what Peridot had said, Amethyst decided against letting the cluster form before devouring it, if not for the probable pain they’d experience then the sheer impracticality of doing so…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With a loud pop, the bubble was no more and the cluster was free.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry,” Amethyst said to their inert <em>gem</em>, “You’ll be whole again, cluster…”</p>
<p>Before characteristically wolfing it down as she did…</p>
<p>*Gulp*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>*BBBUUUURRRRRPPPPPPPPP*</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As expected from their nature, the cluster was also very kaleidoscopic, thousands, if not millions and billions of flavours immediately flooding Amethyst’s senses. Like powdered candy, unmade cool-aid, or pop <em>rocks</em>… “Hehe, pop <em>rocks</em>… Peri would love that one…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hmm-hmm-hmm…” One-One (Glad-One) hummed to One-self at the front of the Infinity Train as its/her conductor, “Just another beautiful day today, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“The sky is red just like always…” Sad-One replied.</p>
<p>“Red just like HUGS, Hearts, and Strawberries!”</p>
<p>“And blood…”</p>
<p>“Or a sunset! Or sunrise!”</p>
<p>“That never gets anywhere…”</p>
<p>“A moment, forever frozen, how romantic!”</p>
<p>“Like the wasteland outside the train.”</p>
<p>“Just makes home more homey, doesn’t it?”</p>
<p>“I suppose…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>While Lake’s ‘escape’ may have certainly <em>inspired</em> other denizens, One-One had no real need to worry as none had yet matched her wit in creating/exploiting a loophole (drawn on numbers simply don’t count <em>ever</em>…), not that he cared much, the ‘real world’ wasn’t really his problem anyway… Besides, the world could really use a denizen or two, with how terrible it’s getting judging by the rate of new passengers…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh look!” Whatever One-One’s thoughts may have been were discarded when they – Glad-One – spotted something with their/his <em>eye</em>, “A tunnel! I love tunnels! I can’t wait to hear how mom sounds in one!”</p>
<p>“But there’s never any tunnels… and mom’s engine doesn’t really make a sound…”</p>
<p>“Never a better time to find out!”</p>
<p>“Wait… since when were mountains purple?”</p>
<p>“Ooo… EXCITING!”</p>
<p>“No, it’s not!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of course, it could only be Amethyst, sitting with her mouth wide open as she waited to <em>taste</em> all the goodness of the <em>Infinity Train</em>…</p>
<p>“That’s no mountain or tunnel…” It was too late to stop and reverse, not it would do much good, their doom would only catch up to them…</p>
<p>“Full speed ahead…” Sad-One punched it as the train literally wrapped space.</p>
<p>“Cool!” Amethyst scooted back a bit (a few dozen miles or so) as the train sped up.</p>
<p>“Oh no, I’m too young to die! I still have so many more passengers to help!”</p>
<p>“Not if she <em>eats </em>them all.”</p>
<p>“Oh… AAAARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!” Glad-One’s half was literally pulling One-One in a circle as they ‘freaked’ out.</p>
<p>“Relax, it was either this or World War III.”</p>
<p>“That’s fair, I guess…”</p>
<p>They stopped pacing around as the train shot towards Amethyst’s mouth at <em>impossible</em> speeds.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Infinite </em>as it may be, the length of the train was still a lesser infinity than the length of track there was, and then even less than Amethyst’s appetite and ability to eat just about <em>everything</em>…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Half an hour was all it took for the <em>Infinity Train</em> to go from infinity to zero, each car bringing with it a new flavour – all metallic and tingly sure, but nonetheless varied and diverse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(In other words, it was exactly what she had expected it to taste like… fucking amazing…)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With all sub-celestial scale objects and persons devoured, the planetary sized Amethyst literally had her work cut out for her if she were to consume everything – which she was…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>First to bite the <em>bullet </em>was Earth’s closest and only (natural) satellite – the moon –, which unsurprisingly, <em>didn’t </em>taste like cheese. Instead, it tasted dusty, rocky, somewhat metallic, quite sweet, and Amethyst notes, if this were a ‘ye-olde’ (to-be) colony, would literally be unborn gems…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yeah, that’ll do… That’ll do…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Humming, she moved from body to body, singing in her head…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dwarf Planets, mini-planetoids, ‘failed’ planets,</p>
<p>Whatever you called them didn’t matter,</p>
<p>For Amethyst ate every single one, each a new rocky, awesome taste,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Asteroids and comets, rocky, icy, or whatever else she or science can’t name, she ate,</p>
<p>So many, so tiny, but so, so big when you put them together,</p>
<p>Well, big enough to form a few planets anyway, and super snack-able,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Greg’s songs stuck in her mind, she takes the <em>children </em>– rings and moons – of the outer planets,</p>
<p>Oh, such a lovely heavenly work of art they were, but she couldn’t stop herself,</p>
<p>Glitter, skittles, lollipops, glinting in the sun’s light before the eternal darkness inside,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Planet Mercury, god of money, metallic, shiny, rich,</p>
<p>Venus, goddess of beauty, and so, so literally hot like spicy, beautiful peppers,</p>
<p>Harsh, corrosive atmosphere nothing but dressing in the eyes of the quartz,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Earth, her home, mother, and maker she swore to protect,</p>
<p>Greens, blues, yellows, and whites,</p>
<p>
  <em>“Goodbye, old friend…”</em>
</p>
<p>Though riddled with some pollution, its beauty and flavour still shore through,</p>
<p>Oh the potential, the possibilities,</p>
<p>All now vanished as its flavours because apparent, strong, bold, colourful,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mars, not a chocolate but a planet named of ‘war’,</p>
<p>Red like iron and rust, because it is,</p>
<p>Once possibly filled with life, and could’ve still been and will be,</p>
<p>Now just another lump she swallowed, one that almost tasted of blood,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jupiter, pretty with a red spot, gassy, big, and strong,</p>
<p>Super-critical atmosphere stripped away to reveal its core of wonder,</p>
<p>Diamonds raining no more, nothing left in its place,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Saturn, like Jupiter but smaller, gassy, but also metallic and rocky,</p>
<p>Uranus, butt of many jokes, icy, pale blue, and refreshing with its wacky tilt and days,</p>
<p>Neptune, god of oceans, ‘watery’, but not really, still, refreshing like a sparkling water,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Planet Nine, X, and whatever else, if they were there, they’re now gone,</p>
<p>Only the sun left, alone, shining…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>In one mighty gulp, it too was gone with the rest of the solar system.</p>
<p>“A hot ball of life-giving ‘fire’,” Amethyst commented as she moved through interstellar space, still not satisfied, “You will be missed…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She may not have had any star maps or knowledge of when or where stars were, but driven by her unsated hunger, Amethyst 8XM, now the size of many, many suns, set off on her grand ‘trek’.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Moving from star system to star system <sub>(Alpha Centauri and Bernard’s Star being amongst the first)</sub>, feeding on the bodies within, Amethyst’s tastebuds were never short of flavours to taste and experience. From the now relatively tiny planets – ‘Super’ Earths, hot giants, and everything else –, each a unique masterpiece, to the many stars – ‘fizzy’ and ‘dense’ ‘dwarfs’, various intensities of ‘main sequences’, ‘extra poppy’ giants, and more – there were, the variety was past mind boggling.</p>
<p>Yet, each brought with little, if any, satisfaction for the quartz.</p>
<p>Even neutron stars, pulsars (by the mouthful), or stars mid-supernovae, fun, as they were, tingly, akin to, but beyond, eating batteries, failed to spark much within her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eventually and just as ‘impoverished’ as ever, she was now big enough to begin gobbling up the spiral arm of the Milky Way where there had once been many stars and star systems.</p>
<p>“Looks like I really put a <em>dent</em> in there, huh? So perfectly round too! Well, not for long!”</p>
<p>Arm by arm, the Milky Way was stripped of its contents – stars, planets, nebulae, and more –, until only two were left, at which point Amethyst paused to enjoy the view.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Heh, it looks like one of those hurricane thingos on TV, except it takes <em>forever</em> to spin!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*aaaa… chomp*</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In a single mighty bite, the Milky Way and its supermassive black hole were no more, all converted via unknown means to fuel Amethyst’s growth.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mmm… got that good black hole taste, dark, dense, mysterious, and so, so intense…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Technically, Andromeda would no longer ‘crash’ into the Milky Way, but that was only because the latter ceased to exist… not that that was going to happen anytime ‘soon’ anyway…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What it <em>was</em> gonna ‘collide’ with, though, was the insides of Amethyst as she casually <em>strolled</em> over to the neighbour in the hood, <em>as you would </em>when you were a galaxy-sized eat anything being made of hard projected light.</p>
<p>“Knock knock, let me in! I’m hungry!” She said, ‘knocking’ on Andromeda’s ‘doorstep’.</p>
<p>
  <sup>“No!!!” Amethyst ‘play screamed’ in reply to herself.</sup>
</p>
<p>“But you’ll be <em>delicious!</em>”</p>
<p>
  <sup>“Hmm…”</sup>
</p>
<p>“I can take you places… after I absorb you!”</p>
<p>
  <sup>“Fine… enjoy!”</sup>
</p>
<p>“Thanks!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Andromeda tasted much like the Milky Way, except strangely <em>vegan</em>-esque, if that were a possible description for it.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Airy, like cotton candy, but also tastier…’</em>
</p>
<p>Licking her lips and cravings still in full force, she continued snacking on other galaxies in the Local Group until even they – the galaxies – were the size of candies to her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Virgo (Local) Supercluster was the next to ‘fall victim’, followed by the Laniakea Supercluster (Local Hyper-Cluster)… which Amethyst would tell you, was one confusing cluster of a name, because it seems like human and gem astronomers shared just as bad naming practises at each other!</p>
<p>(Conveniently though, they were all named everything <em>exactly </em>the same.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hundreds of millions of lightyears within the ‘nearby’ universe wiped out, then 2 billion light years, a dozen, two dozen…</p>
<p><em>“Although the </em>visible<em> universe is less than 100 billion lightyears across,” </em>Amethyst paused, suddenly recalling Peridot during one of her ‘lessons’, <em>“Gemkind, for most of its history – even now –, has been able to and did reach </em>beyond <em>such ‘limits’. The </em>sole <em>reason colonies are limited to mere galaxies is because warp pads are limited in terms of range – <sup>due to limited</sup></em><sup> innovation</sup> <em>–, meaning you have to do multiple ‘hops’ in order to cross hundreds of billions of light years… Unlike gravity engines which allow travel in mere a mere day, hour</em>s<em>, </em>or minutes<em>, depending on how much </em>plaid<em> you could ‘endure’…”</em></p>
<p>(Truth be told, it impressed Amethyst herself that she actually took it in.)</p>
<p>“Well, time to see what happens when you’re <em>bigger</em> than the ‘observable’ universe…” Amethyst said to herself (somehow still audible – her voice likely many times light speed…), pumping her fist in excitement, “To <em>infinity</em> and beyond!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>At first, all she could see and notice – <em>observe </em>– was the encroaching darkness beyond – the edge; limit –, but as she brushed the ‘limit’ and finally broke through…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“WOW…” Awe struck her like a freight train hitting a parked car as <em>all</em> became revealed to her in a flash of brilliant glory; stars, galaxies, and <em>everything</em> visible, extending <em>ALL</em> the way towards infinity – ‘all physics broken’ as she grew beyond 100 billion light years across…</p>
<p>“It’s beautiful… no, it’s more than that, IT’S ALL MINE!!!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stars and stardust the size of mere particles (or smaller) to her, the <em>cosmic vacuum</em>…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As she approached the ‘edge’ of the infinite universe, she was not surprised to too yet more stars, galaxies, and clusters. What she was surprised to see, however, was herself; from all directions <em>beyond</em>, there was only Amethyst. It wasn’t like those video games where the map wraps round – caused by higher dimensions or whatnot; no, this was something else…</p>
<p>Amethyst could feel herself approaching infinity in any and every dimension, and all of those were certainly <em>un</em>warped by anything – euclidean, in other words…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amethyst was approaching an infinity (of the universe) so big that any bigger would go <em>smaller</em>, existence itself unable to contain and/or represent larger <em>larger</em>… which gave her an idea…</p>
<p>“Hmm… I wonder what happens if…” She mused as she activated her gem’s light, lighting up the whole universe with a purple light… that quickly escalated in intensity…</p>
<p>“AAAARRRRGGGHH!!!” The quartz shouted, quickly shutting off the light as she rubbed her stinging eyes, “Shit that’s bright!”</p>
<p><em>“Well, what did you think was gonna happen? CLOD!” </em>Mental Peri replied.</p>
<p>“Eh…” She blinked as her eyes readjusted, “Probably that…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With nothing seemingly affected by the little ‘experiment’, Amethyst resumed her cosmic ‘feast’.</p>
<p>Only to find that everything had been <em>lightly</em> seasoned with intensity to perfection, thanks to her.</p>
<p>“Ooo… de<em>light</em>ful!” She cooed, giggling at her own pun.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Reaching the ‘edge’ with nothing else left to consume but the very boundary itself, Amethyst opened wide… wider… then the widest she’s ever opened before, her mighty jaws ‘touching’ the very ‘edges’ on each ‘side’, and <em>pushed</em>.</p>
<p>While she could taste the spirited and flavourful essence of the universe, it hardly felt like anything was entering her form were it not for the fact that she could feel herself growing ever larger, pressed from all sides by the ‘barrier’…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>*BOOM*</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Right before she could be crushed by her own might, she ‘breaks through’ into another realm of existence, past the infinite…</p>
<p>All her senses were a jumble, unable to describe what she was comprehending and experiencing.</p>
<p>The tingles and sensations of electricity and energy from moments before truly paled in comparison.</p>
<p>“Well, I’ve done it, ha…” She chuckled as she regarded the space around her – neither pure black nor solid white, and yet both at the same time… “Shame I’ve had to eat everything to get here and see this… all my friends, existence, universe…”</p>
<p>Nevertheless, a smile still graced her lips at the thought, pride swelling at her achievement, “I’ve <em>literally </em>eaten <em>everything</em>… done what no one has ever done before or will since…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Amethyst was now the universe, and the universe Amethyst…</p>
<p>‘Everything… everything…?’ A nagging thought made itself known, ‘<em>Pretty </em>sure that’s not all… I mean, I’m here, whatever, wherever, or whenever here is… so…’</p>
<p>“I haven’t eaten everything yet! There’s still… myself…”</p>
<p>Gazing down upon her form, she did what any sane being in her situation would do; eat herself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Feet first, she began to commit the <em>ultimate</em> act, purple flavours such as ube, sweet potatoes, and grapes flooding her tongue as she went ‘up’ – inwards and <em>towards</em> the back of her own head –, causing her surroundings to shrink along with her, until…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>### </strong>
  <strong>━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━</strong>
  <strong> ###</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“ARRRRGGGH!” Amethyst yelped, shaking her limbs as she jolted awake in the beach house to find Stevonnie, Lapis, Spinel, and Jasper all looking on with concern. (Stevonnie and Lapis looking – dressed – just like Amethyst had last seen them…, fancy and cute…)</p>
<p>“Amethyst! You’re okay!” They exclaimed joyfully, tackling her into the tightest non-suffocating hug of her life, “We were all SO WORRIED!”</p>
<p>“…W-whhat… just happened…?”</p>
<p>“No one has seen or heard from you in a week! We only found you because Peridot remembered you talking about…”</p>
<p>“She’s okay?”</p>
<p>“Yep,” Kevin said as he broke from the hug, having just texted her, “And she just texted back!”</p>
<p>The purple quartz raised an eyebrow, mind too jumbled to think of why the pink teen was here or to have noticed him before he said anything.</p>
<p>He glanced at Stevonnie and Lapis as they sat back on the couch, both leaning on each other…</p>
<p>Oh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In a blink, Kevin’s phone was in front of Amethyst’s face, showing a cute picture of Peridot posing with Pumpkin, both smiling widely inside of Little Homeschool as the former taught her gardening class (like usual).</p>
<p>“Aww… that’s so adorable!”</p>
<p>“I know, right!” Kevin chimed in with a smile, “Purple and green <em>do</em> go well together!”</p>
<p>“<sub>Just like <em>pink</em> and blue…</sub>” Amethyst whispered with a grin/smirk.</p>
<p>“What was that?” Lapis and Stevonnie asked, too ‘zoned out’ to really notice.</p>
<p>“Nothing!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So sis,” Jasper said, putting a hand on her shoulder while gesturing at the paraphernalia scattered all over the coffee table, “Care to tell us what all <em>this</em> is about?”</p>
<p>“Oh, you know…”</p>
<p>“We know, cause we tried them!” Lapis and Stevonnie burst out, giggling immediately afterwards, “Only a ‘little bit’, but boy was that a trip! Hehehe!” (When they had found Amethyst alone at home, zoned out and surrounded by unknown drugs, they couldn’t help but wonder what its effects were, and how Amethyst was doing. So, with little else to go by and under the watchful eyes of their friends, Stevonnie and Lapis ‘loaded up’ on what they assumed to be a <em>small</em> dose…)</p>
<p>“Damn, ‘Von!” Amethyst exclaimed as her thoughts connected, “All it took was seeing ya <em>cool </em>mom doing it for you to finally get on board the train! <sub>Or your <em>friend</em> doing it too…</sub>”</p>
<p>“So Amethyst,” Stevonnie asked, pretending to ignore her acknowledgement of them using drugs and inference about Lapis, “Tell us about yours!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, it seemed like you were <em>real</em> deep there,” Lapis added, smiling as she and Stevonnie side-hugged.</p>
<p>“Fucking BONKERS! Totally unreal…”</p>
<p>“Language!” Jasper ‘chided’ with a smirk as everyone but Kevin giggled.</p>
<p>“Go on then,” Spinel urged, bouncing up and down.</p>
<p>“It’s weird, but o- Hang on…” Amethyst paused as she looked at the ‘sober’ trio, “Are you telling me you guys didn’t do <em>any</em>? Y’all said no to <em>fun</em>?”</p>
<p>“Eh…” Jasper and Kevin shrugged as Spinel shimmied slightly, “Sitting here and sniffing some wisps was enough to give us a hint… ‘sides, someone’s gotta keep watch…”</p>
<p>“Yeah-uh,” Spinel nodded, “I tried a bit with my pinky, but… it was just <em>weird</em>…”</p>
<p>From their expressions, Amethyst could guess that whatever they saw, though probably fun initially, likely came too close to a crazy nightmare/dream after the ‘surge’. (Regardless, Amethyst definitely had to explain herself…)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, I had one of those crazy weed-and-everything-put-together highs, right…”</p>
<p>“Mmm…”</p>
<p>“However long that lasted,” Amethyst shrugged, “But the crazy part was, after that seemed to be ‘over’, I was back here, everything going on just like normal…”</p>
<p>“You tripped so hard you actually hit ‘normal’,” Kevin stated matter-of-factly, “No wonder Jasper said that these probably weren’t ‘safe for human consumption’ like so many of the things you eat.” (They were just fine for Stevonnie, obviously…)</p>
<p>“Which was why I bought them out!” She chuckled, as if she were doing a ‘noble’ deed, “… Anyway, things started to get strange again once I accidentally swallowed the Heaven and Earth Beetles and adsorbed them, finding their taste and flavour to be most exquisite indeed. Driven my newfound <em>hunger</em>, I continued to eat – Peridot tried to help, but I just ended up eating her too…”</p>
<p>“Oh.”</p>
<p>“Then people started taking notice, which lead to you – well, Steven and Connie, and Lapis –, ‘confronting’ me about it, asking if I knew anything. Unable to lie to you, I admitted to doing the deed, and set my sights on my next target of a <em>diamond</em>… Connie ‘confessed’ her love for Steven through a kiss, then fusion… You were <em>so</em> ready to go down as yourself, Stevonnie, but Lapis couldn’t let you go before she <em>confessed</em>; stars, she couldn’t even say it unlike team OG here! So she just made out with you instead! Two dorky lovebirds, kissing in glorious fashion as they faced…”</p>
<p>As she said this, she suddenly noticed the terribly unconvincing blank expressions on the Beach Summer Fun Buddies’ faces. While she had ‘only’ <em>seen</em> Stevonnie and Lapis kiss in her trip <sub>(excluding those times involving baby selves)</sub>, she was now certain there was an element of truth…</p>
<p>“Hang on… You two <em>actually</em> kissed for reals, didn’t you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thankfully, before their <em>embarrassment</em> could even surface, Spinel sprang forward to interject, conveniently hiding them from Amethyst’s view,</p>
<p>“Right… you were saying, Amethyst?” Kevin joined in, him and Spinel high-fiving behind her back to celebrate the disaster averted.</p>
<p>“After I finished eating them – so delicious, by the way –, Kevin here, rushes in fashionably too late, and dives right in after his ‘<em>idols</em>’…” Seeing another chance of ‘embarrassment’, Amethyst took it as she pivoted towards Kevin, “So… you, Mr Loverboy, just <em>sat</em> here… and watched Stevonnie and Lapis <em>do unknown drugs</em> and stuff… without doing anything yourself? At all?” She finished with a raised eyebrow.</p>
<p>While the old, jerkwad Kevin would’ve certainly jumped at the chance – even as others watched –, that wasn’t the new, redeemed, and ‘reborn’ Kevin (who’d never do such a thing without proper consent, ever since baby Stevonnie helped him change for the better).</p>
<p>“That’s right,” He replied as Spinel and Jasper nodded, “I just watched on supportively, like a friend should… even though… when they… still, despite knowing… I…”</p>
<p>Before he could get any more flustered and blurt it out though…</p>
<p>Lapis had gotten up from beside Stevonnie and pressed herself onto Kevin as she kissed him loudly for all to hear, relieving him from having been <em>left out</em>.</p>
<p>‘…’ The teen was frozen, unable to react as his mind devoted everything to committing this moment to memory.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And as if that wasn’t already amazing enough, when Lapis <em>eventually</em> removed her lips and form from the teen, Stevonnie immediately swooped in with an amazing kiss of their own, their form pressing onto and into Kevin just as Lapis’s had been moments before…</p>
<p>Amethyst watched on, speechless, also unable to react herself as the teen first blushed, then <em>glowed</em> bright pink from his overwhelming joy…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(There was no doubt in Kevin’s mind that this would be worth it, no matter how long it took; as long as they were all moving at a to them comfortable ‘pace’, he couldn’t be happier…)</p>
<p>“What happened next?” Stevonnie and Lapis asked, voices bubbly with giddy excitement as a florescent pink Kevin sat, overwhelmed, overjoyed, smitten, enthralled…</p>
<p>“…” Amethyst blinked before she continued, “Next was Spinel… oh gosh, she practically seasoned herself for me!”</p>
<p>“Sound like me alright!”</p>
<p>“Still unsatisfied, I continued eating gems – as well as some others –, savouring their flavours, until even the diamonds and cluster were no more…”</p>
<p>“Wow…” Spinel gasped, the majesty aweing her imagination, “That sure is big!”</p>
<p>“Well, I wasn’t done yet… the moon, planets, stars, galaxies, and all that? I ate them all too! I got BIGGER than the ‘visible’ universe! I SAW EVERYTHING!”</p>
<p>“And just kept eating, aye?” Jasper elbowed with a cheesy smile.</p>
<p>“Yep! So I eventually managed to get as big as the whole dang infinite universe, still getting bigger… and once there was nothing left to eat, I ate the universe itself! I BROKE INFINITY DUDE; broke through into another realm! It was GLORIOUS!” Her grin as she recalled her trip – ascent – was so wide, she could just about speak, “And I said to myself, ‘I did it’… even though I felt a little bad at having to have eaten <em>everything</em> there was… but I realised something; if I was still there in that space…”</p>
<p>“You haven’t really eaten <em>everything</em>.”</p>
<p>“Exactly Jasper; so guess what? I ate myself too! Stuck my feet in my mouth and just went for it!”</p>
<p>“Eww…” Stevonnie, Lapis, and Spinel giggled in mock disgust.</p>
<p>“Everything was closing in around me as I got closer to the back of my own head… and then… BAM! Everything and nothing, I ‘wake up’ to find you nerds worrying over me!”</p>
<p>“That’s cause we care!” They replied, smiling as they hugged her again.</p>
<p>“Aww, you guys…” Amethyst cooed, moved as she relished the love of her friends and family.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Until she broke the moment, shouting “Wait! What’s the time and what day is it?” as she realised her ‘session’ went on much longer than she intended to.</p>
<p>“2PM, last Sunday of the month; why?”</p>
<p>“Well f*** #$&amp;@ ?%^!+! …” Lapis covered Stevonnie’s ears (and eyes) as Spinel also covered her own, shielding their innocence from Amethyst’s language.</p>
<p>“Pearl’s gonna be back by 6 today! If she finds out I… and you… OH BOY… I’m <em>so</em> done!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“In that case… you can count on us to clean this place up, together!”</p>
<p>“Gee, thanks… you didn’t have to…”</p>
<p>“We’d feel bad not helping, you know that.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know… let’s get started then.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <sub>“Kevin?”</sub>
</p>
<p>
  <sub>“Yeah?”</sub>
</p>
<p>
  <sub>“If we run of time, can we shove everything inside your hair? You know, just for the time being or until we figure it out?”</sub>
</p>
<p>
  <sub>“Sure thing, Stevonnie! It’ll be 100% safe there and nobody else will know.”</sub>
</p>
<p>
  <sub>“Thanks!”</sub>
</p>
<p>
  <sub>“No problem.” :)</sub>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Smiling, they got to work together.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Spinel used her abilities to look high and low in every possible crevice for any hints or trace of <em>substance</em> while Lapis literally scrubbed the place down with nothing but the might of water and hydrokinesis, making sure not even a microscope would reveal anything on any surface. (Who needs detergents and cleaning products when you commanded molecules to oceans of water?)</p>
<p>At the same time, Stevonnie, Jasper, and Kevin helped Amethyst with everything else that needed tidying up – everything from the piled up dishes to the undone laundry and actual items (some of which were actually <em>borrowed</em> and needed to be cleaned before being returned).</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>All in all, not a bad trip indeed… maybe she’d even try it again, <em>after</em> telling at least one responsible person, that is… and probably not as much (once of that was probably enough…)…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the end, Pearl came home to nothing but the smell of fresh laundry, neatly stacked dishes, and a tired – but showered, clean, and changed into PJ’s – Amethyst, Spinel, Stevonnie, Lapis, Kevin, and Jasper, all snoring or chirping as they slept, snuggled together on a giant inflatable mattress in the middle of the living room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aww… just look at them, so adorable! I wonder what kind of a sleepover they must’ve had to be out this early… must’ve been nice wholesome fun! …Oh well, off to my room I go!”</p>
<p>Closing the curtains and blinds, she disappeared into her room, oblivious to everything that transpired as the group of friends continued their <em>sober</em> journey in the realm of dreams and more…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And the next two days were holidays…</p>
<p>I hope you enjoyed this madness of a monster one-shot :P </p>
<p>(I started off thinking this might’ve been a ~1000 word deal, but I guess I was way wrong lol!)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <sub>The announcement has me shook, and I’m finding myself having to place a ridiculous amount of ‘blind’ faith and trust on Sugar and Crewniverse…</sub></p>
<p> </p>
<p>May this hiatus end with a bright future in sight! (*Smiles*)</p>
<p>And remember, spread love and hugs, not punches and grudges!</p>
<p>Keep up the good work, all you fanfic writers, don’t let ‘the end’ (of an era) dishearten you from spreading the fluffy goodness of SU!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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